“Most of every year after our summer steelhead season, my work partner @watertimeoutfitters and I get out for a day to pursue steelhead on the swung fly. The water conditions on this day were good, a little on the low side but fishable. My buddy Rob had already landed a dandy in our first run, so the next run was all mine. I had worked almost all the way through the run and deep into the tail out. I only had room for one more cast because if I were to move down the tail out any further, my fly would have gone over the lip of the riffle! The last cast was the one! That fish was resting at the very bottom of the tail out. After a spunky battle, I brought the hatchery hen to hand. Always ensure your hook is sharp and cover all the water you can, even to the very end of the tail out!”
This week’s Reel of the Week from Todd Rettmann, be sure to follow Todd and Robert on Instagram @trettmann and @watertimeoutfitters.
In this video of the Week, we catch up with Adam and Steve from Blue Line Co. in their newest endeavor Project Isuzu. With a small budget and the need for an off-roading fly fishing vehicle, the boys find themselves owners of a 1991 Isuzu Trooper. After some much-needed modifications and additions, the boys take the trooper on its first fly-fishing adventure. Amongst the sagebrush and farm fields, the guys find an incredible little river that sees next to no fishing pressure. So sit down and enjoy as the guys test a new fly pattern and explore this fantastic fishery.
Here at Blue Line, we have been tying flies for about as long as we have been fly fishing. We started tying because we had to. The lack of fly fishing shops and good bass and warm water patterns drove our passion for the vise. We found patterns from saltwater and trout fishing. We would tie bigger or smaller sizes and better colors of some popular flies. Over the years this turned into fly design. We have a different approach here at BLC on flies. Figure out what triggers fish and put those aspects into a fly design. Sometimes its color, sometimes shape, others its movement. We use these aspects to design flies that catch fish, not fisherman. We only sell flies that we trust ourselves and personally use in our fly boxes. Check us out here: bluelineflies.com
While many other brands are asking consumers to take a look back at 2022, for the first time ever YETI’s “Year In Preview†offers an opportunity for you to look ahead and fill your calendar for the coming year with the best moments mother nature has to offer by selecting outdoor communities and pursuits you’re most interested in following. “Year In Preview†is YETI’s gift to its fans that will help give back all year long, and hopefully encourages people to put the YETI gear they receive for Christmas to use while they make YETI’s calendar of events their own in 2023.
After completing a short quiz, YETI’s “Year In Preview†platform produces a shareable, personalized video that offers a glimpse of what the year ahead could hold in 2023. You are then able to peruse a list of events thoughtfully curated by YETI’s own Community Team that are relevant to your selected pursuits and activities and can import them to your personal calendar. From ski/snow, surf, fish, climb, hunt, BBQ and ranch/rodeo, there are more than 130 potential options to choose from depending on your interests. For the fishing community, there will be everything from the Bassmaster, to the Gold Cup, the Fly Fishing Film Tour and beyond
You can check out your own Year In Preview at yeti.com/calendar on your mobile or desktop device.
Check out this video from The New Fly Fisher all about fly line weights. Understanding the weight of your gear is one of the most important aspects of dialing in your gear for any fly fishing pursuit.
Simms Joins Forces with Montana Freshwater Partners to Repair and Restore One of the State’s Most Vital and Iconic Watersheds.Â
From Simms:
In association with Montana Freshwater Partners, Simms Fishing Products, preeminent manufacturer of waders, outerwear, footwear, and technical apparel in fishing prepare to launch the all-new Simms Watershed Stockingfoot Wader, a wader designed to lend financial aid to the Yellowstone ecosystem in response to the devastating floods that occurred in the spring of this year.
In early June of 2022, a combination of an unusual atmospheric rain event and warm overnight temperatures coincided with Montana’s peak runoff, resulting in a devastating 500-year flood event. Due to the catastrophic flood, all five entrances to Yellowstone National Park closed, thousands of park visitors were evacuated, bridges, houses, and roadways were completely swept away leaving millions of dollars in damages behind, and years of rejuvenation ahead.
To the residents of southwest Montana, the Yellowstone River is not only a vital economic resource, it’s an ecosystem that’s essential to their way of life.
Regarding the damage and destruction, Simms immediately leaned into to their longstanding heritage of making waders and embarked on a partnership project conceived to generate significant funding support towards a campaign designed to revitalize the iconic Yellowstone ecosystem.
Patterned after Simms’ multi-award winning G3 Guide Stockingfoot Wader, the all-new Simms Watershed Stockingfoot Wader utilizes excess Gore-Tex® Pro Shell fabric in a 3-layer upper and 4-layer lower portion of the wader. This lightweight fabric is breathable, durable, waterproof and offers an unhindered range of motion. Featuring an oversized stretch-woven zippered chest pocket and a microfleece lined, zippered, pass-through handwarmer pocket, the wader also comes equipped with adjustable suspenders with opposing buckles that allow for a waist-high conversion. For mobility and durability, Simms has incorporated their patented front and back leg seams. To round out the feature set, the wader includes integrated gravel guards and anatomically correct left and right stockingfeet with an antimicrobial finish. Available in 8 sizes, Simms Watershed Stockingfoot Waders will be available in limited quantities and can be purchased for $599.95 at simmsfishing.com and also through Simms’ vast retail network.
“It’s hard to put into words what the Yellowstone River and ecosystem means to us here at Simms. On the surface, it’s a picturesque, iconic trout fishery but in reality, it’s so much more than that. It’s where we unwind, recreate, create unforgettable memories and forge lifelong family bonds and friendships. The surrounding communities and lifestyle that comes with it truly embody our Fish It Well philosophy,†says Diane Bristol, Simms VP of Community & Culture. “We are thrilled to collaborate with Montana Freshwater Partners and couldn’t be more excited to utilize a product that’s so synonymous with our brand to help restore this a national treasure that runs through our backyard.â€
To announce the launch of the Simms Watershed Stockingfoot Wader, on Giving Tuesday, Simms made a $10,000 donation to the Yellowstone River Stewardship Campaign, called Give Back to the Yellowstone, a campaign developed to engage the community, out of state visitors, and business to give back to projects that support the overall health and vitality of the Yellowstone River.
Simms Watershed Stockingfoot Waders will be available in January of 2023 and through their sales, an additional $50,000 contribution will be made to the campaign and its continued efforts. The total contribution will go through a fund that’s been established through Montana Freshwater Partners, a 501c3 non-profit organization based in Livingston, Montana.
“The Yellowstone Stewardship Campaign was developed as a way for those who love and appreciate the Yellowstone to help protect it in a meaningful way,†says Wendy Weaver, Montana Freshwater Partners Executive Director. “It’s a grass roots effort to engage the community in directly funding projects that protect its health and resiliency, especially in the face of increased recreational use pressure, drought, and the aftermath of the flood. Simms has become a generous partner in this endeavor and we are incredibly thankful for their support and genuine interest to help protect this iconic river.â€
Funds earned through this campaign will be invested in conservation and restoration projects that will improve water quality, fish habitat, late season flows and floodplain connectivity. Allocation of Simms’ contribution will go towards priority based, on-the-ground projects implemented collaboratively with local nonprofit organizations such as Montana Fresh Water partners, Upper Yellowstone Watershed Group, Park County Environmental Council, Trout Unlimited and others working in partnership with the Department of Natural Resources, Natural Resource Conservation Service, Montana Fish Wildlife and parks, Custer Gallatin National Forest, and Bureau of Land Management.
“There’s nothing quite like exploring new small streams for the first time. Sometimes you have to work with the environment, in this case scaling a fallen tree in order to get just the right drift. We find it extremely satisfying exploring the Australian rivers and streams. It’s all about getting the right drift and getting a cast into the runs that others might overlook. Be sure to take the extra time to do the bow and arrow cast, or get into a tricky spot and drift a nymph down.”
The Flylords got to speak with Emma Yardley, an angler, globe trotter, and talented muralist. As a kid, Emma rock-hopped through Vermont’s rivers and streams and chased stripers (and lobster rolls) on the coast of Maine. She later discovered her artistic talent while traveling in New Zealand. Read more about Emma, her artwork, and her inspiration below.
Flylords: Where did you grow up?
Emma: I was born in North Conway, New Hampshire, where my dad landed in his twenties when he moved to the U.S. from England. That was his first American home and it has always been close to my heart. I also grew up in Vermont and love it dearly.
Photo by Abigail Maki Photography
I grew up with a creek in our backyard. Every summer I would be in the rivers, jumping off cliffs, and swimming up miles of river over little waterfalls and through pools. I started rock-hopping down rivers fearlessly as soon as I could walk. It started with small creeks in which you can hop rock to rock and fish for brookies the size of your pinky. I would spend a couple of weeks each summer fly fishing in Maine. I was the queen of lobster rolls and my dad would fish for stripers much longer than I could.
Flylords: Who first introduced you to rivers and fishing?
Emma: My dad—he’s my number one. He would take me to rivers with him and ask nothing of me. He didn’t pressure me to fish and just let me sit on rocks and throw them. He never worried about how my falls into the river disrupted the area. He never mentioned my grades at the time, and always asked if I had fun. He always hiked at my pace because we were there to be together and not to rush the day.Â
Photo Courtesy of Emma Yardley
On drives, we would take river roads even if it added time. Those roads are lined with memories of my dad sharing stories of fishing as a kid in England. We always had a fly rod, but our time together was rarely about fishing. Fishing was an avenue to see rivers through stories.
Flylords: Tell us about your climbing background
Emma: My dad was a climbing guide and so was my mom for a bit. My mom climbed with me in her belly. Climbing is literally how I was framed and built. I was climbing—or at least roped up—at 2 years old. Climbing was always a place to share space and experience.Â
Image Courtesy of Emma Yardley
As a kid, I was in rooms with a lot of humble legends. I grew up going to ice climbing festivals and would be around some of the best climbers when my dad went out to guide or we all climbed together. When I was smaller my dad put me in women’s clinics. I was twelve learning how to ice climb with a female guide, alongside forty-year-old women.
My dad always made sure I had strong, humble, and kind people around me. The list is endless. He was a single parent and found an amazing village to raise me in. Through climbing I learned patience, to be humble, and that it’s just a rock.
Image Courtesy of Emma Yardley
Flylords: When did you first discover your knack for drawing and painting?
Emma: I didn’t grow up an artistic kid. I started drawing because I was alone a lot and was far away from the people I loved. I lived in my truck for about six years, including winters in the southern hemispheres. The first drawing I did was for my dad when I was in New Zealand. I had a 45L backpack and a fly rod and not much of a plan. I followed the rivers, walking on properties and through towns, hopping on ferries, and rushing through cities.
Photo Courtesy of Emma Yardley
I had four dollars by the time I got to Queenstown. It was around Christmas and I wanted to give my dad something for Christmas, so I drew one of the classic salmon flies he had tied. He ties the most beautiful flies I’ve ever seen. I drew it for him and that was where it all began.Â
I then hitchhiked over to Wanaka and knocked on a hostel before they closed. They let me work for a place to stay, so I was a maid for three months and waitressed in Wanaka to get my bank account back up enough for a flight home and a couple more adventures. I was right at the confluence to the lake there and would bike there almost every night and fish those blue waters.
Image Courtesy of Emma Yardley
As the season was coming to an end, I would send my friends off with a drawing. I drew on some of their tailgates so they could rack up for their next climb or put their waders on with my lines next to them. It all came from the connection.Â
Flylords: How did you develop your artistic style?
Emma: My lines started by the river and my dots grew as I filled long summer nights in Wyoming. All my art is in this freestyle form of mountains, waves, and fish. At first, I drew a lot of flies and I loved interpreting tiny, 3D, wildly intricate flies into a 2D piece. Then, I started to find myself drawing more mountains and waves and I followed that path. I have walked this line of staying true to my style while letting my creativity be open and free. I always figured that if I was as authentic as possible and intentional with my work I would find happiness and growth.
Photo by Abigail Maki Photography
My development came in scale. It goes back to connection. Drawing the fly for my dad far away, drawing on a friend’s tailgate before a season started, and then having friends ask me to draw in their nurseries, pottery studios, and then bigger things like storefronts and headquarters.Â
My jump into murals is a beautiful shoutout to a dear friend who I used to go on art walks with in Tahoe. I had just had my heart broken and I was back on the road. My friend had no idea what to do with me. We would walk and sit and open our notebooks and draw.
Photo Courtesy of Emma Yardley
I asked if I could draw on this old piece of plywood on the wall of his garage. It was a space where he cultivated creativity and love and I needed a connection to such space. He said yes, and I stopped being annoying for a few days while I worked on it. I still cried randomly but I felt good. It was my first piece that scaled and folks kept asking for more.
Flylords: How does your time with rivers contribute to your art?
Emma: I spent so much time sitting on river banks alone in my teens and early twenties. Next to the river, I could be thoughtless and just watch the movement. That time gave me memories of myself and created conversations with myself so that I trust myself. My art is a result of all that groundwork and trust I created in myself from my time on the river. In my art I can find the same quiet I find sitting on rocks, but in my art, I am the movement.
Image Courtesy of Emma Yardley
My murals are freehand. It is a wild process. I think trust in myself and patience come from the times I have sat with rivers for whole days. I ask to sit with each client and hear what their space means to them. I ask what mountains or waves mean to them if anything. Then, usually, late at night, I start with my first line. It’s an intimidating, huge, permanent black line on a white wall, but from there I just paint the mountain on top of the mountain and find where the waves go.
Flylords: What project has been most memorable for you?
Emma: My first fly commission comes to mind because it all clicked. I was drawing its final parts at the rim of the grand canyon after a wicked hike. That commission paid for my impressively low-budget life for months. I have no idea how I did it back then. Finishing the commission I was like, “Woah, I am drawing this beautiful salmon fly and each part feels new. The layers keep asking for more and I keep being able to draw more.” It didn’t matter how many more commissions I drew after that—that was never my goal. The important thing was that I was connected with myself, my art, that place, and the new person I was drawing. That piece traveled with me for a couple of hundred miles.
Image Courtesy of Emma Yardley
Flylords: How can folks purchase your work or request commissions?
The first time I saw the signature black tails of permit tailing in the turquoise waters of Belize, I knew I was hooked. While that trip in 2016 proved to be unsuccessful for permit, those fish have been my primary focus on the flats ever since. Chasing the Falcatus in Mexico, Belize, Cuba, the Bahamas, and the Florida Keys with a little bit of success.
Trachinotus Falcatus Permit
After seeing a picture of Oliver White in the FlyFish Journal permit fishing in Oman, I knew I had to pursue it. It was in Oman where I first learned about the “Big 4†and how small of a club it was. The “Big 4†consists of catching and landing a T. Falcatus, a T. Blochii, a T. Africanus, and a T. Anak. After landing an Africanus and a Blochii on the first two days of my trip, the chase was on to get the slam.
Trachinotus Africanus Permit
As soon as I got back to the states from Oman, I contacted Josh Hutchins of Aussie Fly Fisher and booked a trip for July 2020. Unfortunately, Covid-19 had other plans and the trip was put on hold for two years. I bugged Josh quarterly about when I could come and after years of communication, I finally got the response I was after – we were on for October 2022.
Trachinotus Blocchi Permit
Upon arriving in Cape York and getting picked up by Josh, it was the classic case of “Shoulda been here last week!â€. The wind changed from an offshore to an onshore, and the swell picked up wrecking most of the flats and dispersing the big schools of Anak permit they had been seeing. We had two hard days of big swells, dirty water, and very few fish on the flats. We used the 3rd day to scout for clean water and found it. The clean water was too far for continuous day trip, so we loaded up the boat with camping gear and a few days’ worth of food and headed out.
The swell and wind followed us, but the flats stayed clean. On the 4th day after a slow start and a few failed shots, I was starting to feel the pressure. Shortly after, our luck changed and we spotted 3 big Anak permit floating in. I dropped a flexo crab on the group of fish and the back fish peeled off, crushing the fly. Following a long silence and a long fight, the fish hit the net and we clenched the final permit to complete the Big 4.
Trachinotus Anak Permit
What is so unique about chasing the Big 4, is that no matter which amazing fishery you tick off the Falcatus (Florida Keys/Caribbean) or the Blochii (Seychelles/Oman/Australia/etc.). The Africanus is specific to Oman and the Anak to Australia. While there are many behaviors that all 4 species of permit have in common, the biggest is that even when you do everything right, they still won’t eat a well-placed fly!
With a few trips, successes, and failures under my belt – here are some tips from a below-average fly fisherman:
Casting – Practice. Practice. Practice. Getting comfortable casting in all conditions is essential for successful permit fishing. Be upfront and honest about your ability, and the guides will do their best to put you in the ideal casting position for your skill level. 2.
Listen to your guides - Unless you’re putting as much time in on the flats as your guide, listen to them and learn from them on how to lead and strip the fly for their specific fishery.
Have the right flies – Don’t get your advice from the internet. Talk directly to the guides (pre-trip) to ensure you have what you need for that particular fishery, or better yet, they provide them for you.
Quality gear – a fast action 9 or 10 wt rod to punch through the wind and a high-quality reel with a solid drag system to put the brakes on. I like a 9wt Gloomis NRX+S with an Abel Super 9.
LUCK – hope you have above-average luck.Â
Angler Story from Chase Krueger, find him on Instagram @chasekrueger11.Â
The fly fishing community is well known for being supportive and tight-knit. Whether you’re looking at grass-roots conservation initiatives or community-driven efforts to help wounded veterans get back on their feet, there is a lot of good that has come out of fly fishing. But, all this good that groups in the fly fishing world are doing doesn’t happen in a bubble. They need our support to continue carrying out this great work. So, on this Giving Tuesday, consider supporting these organizations and their efforts to improve fly fishing.
By no means is this list inclusive–there are dozens of great organizations out there that are doing truly amazing things. But we figured that this was a good starting point to cover some geographic range and causes.
Take Trout Unlimited, for example; a contribution to the preeminent fly fishing conservation organization can improve habitats all throughout the country for many different species of trout or salmon.
The Native Fish Society is focused on the Pacific Northwest working on specific salmon and steelhead recovery efforts.
But maybe you consider yourself more of a salty angler–look to Captains for Clean Water to support restoring water quality in South Florida or the American Saltwater Guides Association to support abundant fisheries and strong, precautionary management.
If you want to help people with fly fishing, look to Project Healing Waters or Elevate Youth to improve lives with this great sport we all love.
No matter if you decide to contribute to these groups or how much you can share, consider how much fly fishing has given to you and look for ways to give back to your communities.
To discover more of our favorite non-profits, check out our full collection of articles, here!
In this week’s “How to Tie” video feature, Davie McPhail ties a Flatwing Sandeel imitation that every angler from Maine down to New Jersey should have in their striped bass arsenal.
Learn About This Fly:
Difficulty: Intermediate
When it comes to saltwater fly fishing, there are many new patterns that use epoxy, synthetic materials, and even rattles to get the job done. There is no contest that the evolution of fly fishing has been beneficial for catching fish, but some vintage patterns will always stand the test of time. Flatwing Sandeel patterns are among those and have been catching striped bass and other sandeel eating predators for decades.
Implementing hackle into this pattern allows for a swimming motion that fish respond well to. The profile of a Flatwing Sandeel is superb and between strips the fly will continue to “stay alive” due to the bucktail and hackles movement in the water. Selecting the right hackle and bucktail for the job is important, so make sure the quality is there to ensure the best profile. Tying this pattern is relatively simple and will be a fantastic striped bass fly to learn on alongside Lefty’s Deceiver and the Clouser Minnow.
Fishing this pattern on an intermediate line from shore is a great way to make sure this unweighted fly gets down. If fishing in 2-3ft of water, a floating line with a long leader is acceptable as the weight of the hook will help sink the fly. Mixing up your retrieve will allow you to gauge what the fish want for that particular spot, day, or tide cycle. Be sure to tie a variety of colors and sizes up for the sandeels in your area, and to enjoy the grind of winter tying with this Flatwing Sandeel pattern.
The swell and wind followed us, but the flats stayed clean. On the 4th day after a slow start and a few failed shots, I was starting to feel the pressure. Shortly after, our luck changed and we spotted 3 big Anak permit floating in. I dropped a flexo crab on the group of fish and the back fish peeled off, crushing the fly. Following a long silence and a long fight, the fish hit the net and we clenched the final permit to complete the Big 4.
